When Sun Quan heard of the coming of reinforcements of Cheng Pu, he was very pleased and went in person to meet and welcome the leaders. Lu Su was in advance of the main body, and Sun Quan dismounted and stood by the roadside to greet him. As soon as he saw this, Lu Su slid out of the saddle and made his obeisance.
But the officers were amazed at the attitude of Sun Quan, and still more so when Sun Quan asked Lu Su to remount and ride by his side.
Presently Sun Quan said secretly to Lu Su, “I, the Lone One, dismounted to greet you as you saw; was that manifestation enough for you?”
“No,” replied Lu Su.
“Then what further can I do?”
“I want to see your authority and virtue spread over the four seas and enfold the nine regions, and you yourself playing your part as emperor. Then will my name be inscribed in the annals, and I shall indeed be known.”
Sun Quan clapped his hands and laughed gleefully.
When they reached the camp, a banquet was prepared and the services of the new arrivals were praised and glorified.
The destruction of Hefei was one day under discussion when one came in to say that Zhang Liao had sent a written challenge to battle. Sun Quan tore open the cover, and what he read therein made him very wrath.
“This Zhang Liao has insulted me grossly,” said he. “He hears that Cheng Pu has arrived and sends a challenge. Tomorrow, O newly-come warriors, you shall see me fight with him. You shall have no share in the battle.” Orders were given that next morning the army would move out of camp and advance on Hefei. Early in the morning, when they had advanced about halfway, they met the army of Cao Cao and prepared for battle. Sun Quan, with helmet of gold and breastplate of silver, rode to the front with Song Qian and Jia Hua, each armed with a halberd to support him and guard him one on each side.
When the third roll of the drum ceased, the center of Cao Cao's army opened to allow the exit of three warriors, all fully armed. They were Zhang Liao, supported by Li Dian and Yue Jin. Zhang Liao, the central figure, especially designated Sun Quan as the object of his challenge. Sun Quan took his spear and was about to accept the challenge, from when the ranks behind him came out Taishi Ci, who galloped forth with his spear ready to thrust. Zhang Liao whirled up his sword to strike the newcomer, and the two fought near a hundred bouts without a decisive blow.
Then said Li Dian to Yue Jin, “He there opposite us with the golden helm is Sun Quan; could we but capture him, the loss of our eight hundred thirty thousand soldiers at the Red Cliffs would be amply avenged.”
So speaking Yue Jin rode out, alone, just one man and one sword, and went sidelong toward the two combatants. Then suddenly, swift as a flash of lightning, he ran forward and slashed at Sun Quan. But Sun Quan's two guards were too quick for him. Up went the two halberds of Song Qian and Jia Hua guarding their lord's head. The blow fell, but on the crossed halberds which were shorn through near the head, and in another moment they were hammering away on the head of Yue Jin's steed with the shafts of their broken weapons and forcing it back.
Song Qian snatched a spear from a soldier near and went in pursuit of Yue Jin, but Li Dian, on the other side, fitted an arrow to his bow and aimed at Song Qian's heart from behind. And Song Qian fell as the bowstring twanged.
Then Taishi Ci, seeing his colleague fell, left off the fight with Zhang Liao and returned to his own line. At this Zhang Liao fell on in a swift attack, and the army of Sun Quan, thrown into confusion, scattered and fled.
Zhang Liao, having distinguished Sun Quan in the distance, galloped in pursuit and had nearly come up with him, when Cheng Pu happily rushed in from one side of the line of fight, stayed the pursuit, and saved his master. Zhang Liao withdrew to Hefei. Sun Quan was escorted back to his main camp, where his beaten soldiers gradually rejoined him and their ranks were reformed.
When Sun Quan knew of the death of Song Qian, he was greatly pained and wept aloud.
But Zhang Hong, the adviser, reproached him, saying, “My lord, you relied too much upon your martial prowess and lightly engaged in battle with a formidable enemy. Every person in the army was chilled with fear, and you lost a general and some of your banners. It is not for you to exhibit prowess on the actual battlefield and encroach upon the duties of a general. Rather curb and repress such physical feats as those ancient Xia Yu and Meng Ben, and contemplate schemes of exercising princely virtues with the hegemony of all the feudal states. It is because of your ill-regulated action in engaging in battle that Song Qian perished at the hands of your enemies. Hereafter you should regard as most important your personal safety.”
“Yes; it is indeed a fault,” said Sun Quan. “I will reform.”
